Peter Bittner is an Editorial Assistant at The Diplomat based in Berkeley, CA where he writes mainly on foreign affairs in East and Central Asia, with an emphasis on environmental issues, international trade and development, and U.S. foreign policy in the region. He is also freelance Journalist and communications consultant at PeterBittner.com

While China may not have the power to bring North Korea and the United States together for talks, Beijing’s role in a lasting peace agreement cannot be understated. If President Trump is not attentive to China’s priorities on the Korean Peninsula, he will not get far with the North Korean regime in negotiations.

Why is the Mongolian capital now apparently at the top of the list for the Trump and Kim to meet to sort out their differences? Well, it appears that both North Korea and the United States may have very good reasons.

As the role of the United States in the international community grows increasingly isolationist -- and President Trump remains a vocal critic of international aid and development programs -- some countries are looking to Beijing in hopes of securing fast financing for infrastructure development projects. However, as the authors of the report warn, many of China’s loans are given under less-stringent conditions than more-established Western multinational lending institutions such as the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund.

As President Khaltmaagin Battulga’s administration plans new multilateral infrastructure projects with China and Russia, it appears to be gradually shifting away from its "Third Neighbor" relationships, chief among them its relations with the United States.